This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, click the "Reprints" link at the top of any article.

Forward, the Only Way to Go

These high-ranking finance executives get things done.

Perusing the latest round of statistics about women in high-ranking corporate finance jobs can be somewhat discouraging. There were just 44 women CFOs at Fortune 500 companies in 2010, unchanged from 2009. That disparity isn't limited to finance jobs at the top, of course. A recent study from research institute Catalyst shows women are underrepresented in the C-suite overall, holding 14.4% of executive officer positions in 2010. And the gap between the sexes in the business world starts early: in 2009-10, women made up just 38% of MBA graduates, according to AACSB International. However, the accomplishments of the outstanding women financial leaders, annually recognized by Treasury & Risk, serve as an inspiration and a reminder that perseverance and execution count. From issuing debt, negotiating new credit facilities and integrating acquisitions, to de-risking a pension plan and designing a new commodity hedging facility, these women in finance are doing the work that will make a difference to their companies, and to the economy as a whole.

Valentine YienTreasurer & VPAbbott Laboratories Before Yien was named treasurer last year, she served as controller of a former Abbott unit, Hospira. When it was spun off as a public company in 2004, she headed the finance group's work to establish it as an independent entity.

Nancy CooperCFO & EVPCA Technologies As CFO since 2006, Cooper has led the finance team's effort to pull the software company out of the doldrums, returning it to investment-grade status and boosting its operating margins from 21% to 34%. Now she is figuring out how CA can profit from technology shifts like cloud computing and virtualization.

Suzy RiestererEVP, finance and administrationCarlson Hotels Riesterer is working on Carlson's effort to upgrade its more than 1,000 hotels in 77 countries--to which the company is committing $500 million in new investment--as well as its goal of expanding its portfolio to 1,500 hotels by 2015.

Kathleen GallagherDirector of asset managementFord Motor Co. Gallagher led Ford's effort, beginning in 2007, to reduce the risk in funding its sizable defined-benefit pension plan by moving more assets into bonds. Without that change, plan assets would have suffered in the downturn, costing Ford $7 billion in additional pension funding.

Frances VallejoTreasurer & VPConocoPhillips Vallejo took an unusual path to her current position, starting her career at ConocoPhillips in 1987 as a geophysicist working in its seismic processing and interpretation groups. After earning an MBA, she joined the treasury group in 1996 and was named treasurer in 2008.

Beth BombaraController & SVPHartford Financial Services Group As the life and property and casualty insurer focuses on paring its losses from the financial crisis, Bombara's responsibilities include corporate finance, corporate expense, accounting policy, IT spending and the finances of investment unit Hartford Investment Management.

Elyse DouglasCFO & EVPHertz Corp. Douglas has led efforts to increase operating efficiency and manage costs that saved Hertz $760 million in 2009. She has also helped manage several acquisitions, including Eileo and Advantage, and refinanced the company's ?$5.5 billion of fleet debt.

Elena DoomVP of investor relationsHoneywell International Doom's efforts, such as communicating the pension management approach the company detailed last year, have helped Honeywell strengthen its relationship with analysts and investors. Since joining in 2002 from Arthur Andersen, she has also worked in treasury and M&A.

Kathy LancasterCFO & EVP of strategic planningKaiser Permanente Lancaster has played an integral role in planning 15 new hospitals and implementing electronic medical records for all Kaiser Permanente members. She has also maintained better-than-industry expense trends at one of the nation's largest not-for-profit health plans.

Sue CarterCFO & EVPKBR Since joining the construction and engineering company as CFO in 2009, Carter has focused on upgrading and developing KBR's financial talent. She's also concentrating on controls and compliance, cost and working capital. Earlier, Carter was CFO at Lennox International.

Jennifer GrigsbyTreasurer, secretary & SVPChesapeake Energy Corp. In 2009, Grigsby's finance team built an innovative commodities hedging facility, backed by natural gas and oil reserves, rather than cash margin, to limit potential liquidity calls, and in 2010, the team arranged a new $4 billion revolving credit facility.

Shari BurgessTreasurer & VPLear Corp. Somce joining Lear in 1992, Burgess has helped it grow from a $1.4 billion private company to a $12 billion public company. As its treasurer since 2002, she also played a role in the auto parts supplier's pre-negotiated bankruptcy in 2009, which was completed in just four months.

Kathy Willard,CFO & EVPLive Nation Entertainment Willard worked on Live Nation's 2009 merger with Ticketmaster, a major entertainment industry deal that generated significant regulatory scrutiny. Since then she has focused on integrating the two companies' operations amid falling demand for concert tickets.

Caroline DorsaCFO & EVPPublic Service Enterprise Group Last year, Dorsa made the most of strong capital markets by lengthening the duration of the utility's debt while cutting the cost of its debt portfolio. Since joining PSEG in 2009, she has focused on balance-sheet strength and cost management. Earlier, Dorsa was CFO at Avaya and worked in finance at Merck.

Kim Harris JonesCorporate controller & SVPKraft Foods Jones, Kraft's controller since 2009, is a key participant in the company's finance transformation efforts. Before joining Kraft, she spent more than 20 years in the auto industry, including a stint as Chrysler's corporate controller.

Barbara NilandCFO & VP of business managementNorthrop Grumman Shipbuilding Niland led the activities involved in consolidating two Northrop shipbuilding units, including centralizing contract, pricing and accounting policies, and also helped lead the development of a new operating system for the company's Gulf Coast shipyards.

Helen ShanTreasurer & VP of financePitney Bowes Since joining Pitney Bowes in 2005, Shan has issued more than ?$2.5 billion of debt and preferred stock and helped reorganize the finance group. Her role was recently expanded to include responsibility for corporate development and investor relations.

Karen MullaneController & VPSunGard Data Systems Mullane is responsible for SEC filings related to SunGard's debt offerings and stock option registrations, and for the integration of the internal controls and financial reporting for several of the company's acquisitions.

Mary JonesTreasurer & VPUnion Pacific Jones, the railroad's treasurer since 1999, helped win an upgrade in its credit rating from Standard & Poor's last fall. She worked on funding its capital investment program, implemented two dividend increases and resumed the company's stock repurchase program.

Janet HaugenCFO & SVP Unisys Over the last couple of years, Haugen has been instrumental in Unisys' work to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce its debt, an effort that included 2009's private debt exchange offers. CFO since 2000, she previously served as the company's controller.

Holly Hess GroosTreasurer & SVPVerizon Communications Since Hess Groos became Verizon's treasurer in 2009, she has secured an enhanced credit facility and worked on the transition of treasury functions when Verizon sold some assets to Frontier Communications. She also serves as chair of Verizon's insurance captive.

Cherie RiceTreasurer & VP of financeWaste Management Over the last year, Rice and her team have issued $1.2 billion of notes, remarketed $700 million of tax-exempt bonds, and arranged a new $2 billion revolving credit facility. She also oversees a $7 billion portfolio of financial assurance instruments.

Patricia BedientCFO & EVPWeyerhaeuser As finance chief, Bedient has overseen the forest product company's recent conversion into a real estate investment trust, a move made for purposes of tax efficiency. Before joining Weyerhaeuser, she spent 27 years at Arthur Andersen.

Leslie VaronCorporate controller & VP of financeXerox Corp. When Varon was named controller in 2006, she was charged with enhancing the company's financial strategy and boosting the efficiency of its global operations. Since joining Xerox in 1980, she has headed corporate audit and investor relations and served as corporate secretary.

Treasury & Risk

Treasury & Risk is an online publication and robust website designed to meet the information needs of finance, treasury, and risk management professionals. Our editorial content, delivered through multiple interactive channels, mixes strategic insights from thought leaders with in-depth analysis of best practices, original research projects, and case studies with corporate innovators.